


Some Quadrant Duality Bullshit

by noodlerdoodler



Series: Of Yellow and Purple [2]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Caliginous Romance | Kismesis, First Dates, Fluff, Flushed Romance | Matesprits, M/M, Post-Sburb/Sgrub, Quadrant Vacillation, Semi-Public Sex, Smoking, Smut, Sollux is an Asshole, Xenobiology, how to tag, i cant write smut very well tbh but I tried, i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-29
Updated: 2015-09-29
Packaged: 2018-04-24 00:37:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4898788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noodlerdoodler/pseuds/noodlerdoodler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's as they're heading to one of the million exhibits that something peculiar and not too pitch happens. In his excitement and carelessness, Eridan's hand slips down into Sollux's and grips him tightly there. His fingers slide between Sollux's, almost making him jump but he manages to control himself and just inhale sharply in surprise. Ampora's hand is cold and his rings are oddly shaped, rubbing against Sollux's skin, but his hand seems to fit into his perfectly. Eridan doesn't remove his hand but instead, grins sheepishly at him once he realises what he's done and continues to drag him. The sensation, the sweet, <em>red</em> gesture, makes the Gemini flush a sunshine shade and look away to hide it. He makes sure to keep a firm grip on his date, rubbing at the back of his hand with his thumb. And he swears that Eridan's ear fins are flushed a light purple at the tips.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Some Quadrant Duality Bullshit

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lumen_Caeli](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lumen_Caeli/gifts), [inkpink](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=inkpink).



> Both of which convinced me that a sequel would be a good idea but because I can't handle even numbers, it's going to have to be a trilogy now. 
> 
> Whoops. 
> 
> There's smut at the end, you can probably just skip it if it's not your thing but the actual pailing part isn't written, just the build up and stuff because I don't know. Writing is hard. Enjoy my sins.

There's the sound of somebody insistently hammering on the doorbell for about ten minutes before Sollux stirs from sleep long enough to realise exactly what it is. No, he's pretty sure it's a part of his dream- his dreams are pretty much always a confusing mash of colours and sounds, so it wouldn't be surprising if it was- until he hears Eridan yelling at him to open the door before he kicks his ass. This is enough to make him snicker at the idea of that idiotic seadweller threatening to fight him before he remembers that the guy once nearly killed him and then, he stops laughing and starts groaning instead at the memory. He flings an arm over his eyes to block out the stupid sunlight, which he's sure is glaring at him. 

When he finally comes around properly, he sits up and realises that he must have fallen off the couch onto the floor at some point during the night. This explains why everything hurts worse than if he'd been fucked into the mattress; speaking of which, Ampora doesn't seem to be going away, and is knocking on the door and mashing the doorbell in turn. It's loud and irritating. Covering his ears to block out the noise, Sollux vaguely remembers agreeing to a date yesterday and curses his past self for being such an idiot. He'd been too tired to even think about what he was doing. This was a bad, bad idea. He didn't like to leave the hive and he didn't like to date and he didn't like Eridan, so this was obviously a terrible combination. 

Slowly, he stands and stretches to click all his bones back into place and makes sure that everything is where it should be. Checking himself over to see if sleeping on the floor caused any permanent damage, he realises that he still has a fuck ton of bruises on his stomach and ribs from the day before yesterday. Sollux was _still_ bruised after that one night stand with Ampora, which was ridiculous because lowblood bodies usually healed exceptionally quickly. If anybody saw these marks- and anybody meant his moirails, because of course he had two- they would assume he had a kismesis, when, in fact, he just had a... A... A... Eridan. He had an Eridan and even then, he wasn't really his. Just because they'd had that one time and because Eridan was taking him out today did not mean that they had a thing going on. 

"Sol~!" He's not going to go away anytime soon, is he? 

"Alright, alright, I'm coming." Sollux grumbles, stumbling towards the door, where the highblood has finally ceased knocking upon hearing him. Thank god, he was doing his head in; Sollux swears he can feel the beginning of a migraine in his temples and he knows that's going to come back to kick his ass sometime later. He fumbles with unlocking the door, taking more than one attempt because his hands keep slipping, but he manages it. Eridan Ampora is standing outside, looking just as huffy and dramatic as Sollux remembers, stupidly overdressed as per usual. After looking the Gemini over quickly, he just offers up a look of disappointment. 

"You're not coming dressed like that?" Eridan wrinkles his nose in disgust and Sollux wonders if he should just to piss him off, smirking at the thought. He's suddenly consciously aware of how loud the highblood's voice is and it's painful for this early in the morning. God, he needs some coffee or a smoke or something. 

"I just woke up... Keep your voice down..." He shushes Eridan, letting him sweep in before he shuts the door after him. Exhausted, Sollux heads back to his respiratory block and assumes that his date will follow after him. God, it sounds strange to refer to that idiot as his date. He still can't believe that they're doing this, that they're making this happen. 

"You just woke up?" Eridan's voice is reaching a frantic, shrieking level as he flaps his hands frustratedly, "Sol, it's noon! Why the hell are you waking up at noon? Oh, god, please don't tell me that you slept like that?" The worrying would be cute if it wasn't annoying and Sollux rolls his eyes as he scans the room for something to wear. He rescues an old shirt off the ground and sniffs it, deeming it to be wearable and switches it for the one he's wearing. 

"Eridan, please be quiet." 

"Are you hungover?" Eridan's voice, thankfully, drops to a gentler pitch and he's grateful for it, "Sol, please don't tell me that you were drinking last night." Once he's found some more acceptable pants and pulled them on, Eridan looks him over and still looks disgusted. He seems to realise that he's not going to get any better and shrugs at him, as if to deem him slightly acceptable. The Gemini just grins at him with crooked fangs and Eridan rolls his eyes. 

"I wasn't drinking." Sollux mumbles, raking a hand or two through his hair, checking himself over to make sure that he's got everything important. Wallet, glasses, handheld contact device, pants, attitude problem; all check. He's hoping that Eridan is happy to cover the majority of the costs, however, because he's not doing well money-wise. Meh, Eridan would probably be happy to spend a fortune on him if it meant getting laid later and that thought made Sollux snicker. He still didn't even know why he was humouring the seadweller, when he could easily have anybody he wanted. He could have Aradia or Feferi back easy or a million other trolls or humans. He wasn't unattractive, he was pretty smart, very flexible in bed, possessed not one but _two_ bulges, and god knows, that he could do so much better than Eridan. 

"Are you all ready to go now?" Almost shyly, Eridan perks up and Sollux can tell that he's trying his best to hide his enthusiasm. Despite himself, he can't help grinning at this because it's just adorable to see that look on his face- oh, god, he can't believe that a thought like that actually crossed his think-pan. Maybe his psionics really have fried his ability to think, just like Karkat kindly assured him the other day. 

"Fuck!" He exclaims aloud and then, corrects himself hastily, "I mean, yeah, sure. Let's get going, hm? Kept you waiting long enough." 

"Just to spite me, I imagine." There's that smug look on Eridan's face again, that look he gets when he thinks that he's said something really smart (it's a look that he wears a lot, Sollux has noticed). He offers up his arm and Sollux blatantly ignores him, pushing past to get back to the hallway, and then, to head to the door. Throwing on a jacket, he unlocks the door and opens it for Eridan, holding it open for him. 

"What a gentleman." Eridan smirks at him and Sollux finds him missing that strange, old wobble that the Aquarius had in his voice when they were just kids, only six or seven sweeps. He doesn't comment, however, shutting the door again and wincing as cold air rushes forward to greet him. He's half way to Eridan's four wheel device, when he's snagged by the neck of his jacket and nearly choked by the highblood. A sly chuckle escapes Eridan and that's the moment that Sollux realises that he's attempting to sling spades at him. Sollux spits at him in return, ignoring the sudden wave of warmth that makes his stomach twist. 

"What the fuck, Ampora?" 

"Nuh-uh, we're walking." Sollux's heart sinks at those words, knowing that he's not physically fit enough to walk too far, "It's only ten minutes away and you need more fresh air and exercise." There's a rough poke at Sollux's stomach, which he'll admit is not as flat as it used to be, since his metabolism seems to struggle with all the crap that he eats nowadays. He huffs indignantly and sets off down the sidewalk instead, starting ahead but slowly falling back to trail behind Eridan. The seadweller is considerably fitter than him. 

"Come on, Sol, keep up!" He's being mocked by a sarcastically cheery smile, "Don't be such a slow poke." 

"Alright, calm your tits." The Gemini digs around in his jacket pocket for his spare packet of cigarettes and his lighter, balancing one between his teeth as he lights it. He's aware that he comes to a stop, finally managing to light it with shaking hands, and inhales sharply. He slides the packet back out of sight and continues after Eridan, who's still rushing ahead of him. He exhales, holding the cigarette between his index finger and his thumb. 

"I got no rumble spheres, calm or otherwise. And it's no wonder you can't keep up, rotting your lungs with those filthy things." Eridan says, in disapproval, when Sollux finally manages to just about match his pace, "Smoking one of those filthy things; honestly, Sol! Your life choices are terrible." 

"Stupid Game fucked me up." Sollux mutters in response, the same reason that he uses whenever Aradia sniffs in disgust at how bad his hive has started smelling or whenever Karkat starts yelling that he might as well start deep-frying his internal organs because he's poisoning himself slowly with that disgusting junk food. As far as he concerned, none of the aforementioned moirails are in any position to judge his life choices. He's doing what he can to cope with the memories and they should appreciate that. 

"It fucked all of us up." Eridan rolls his eyes, "It fucked me up pretty bad. But I'd never resort to those cancer sticks." 

_Karkat would be miserable to hear you say that. To hear you call them "cancer sticks"_ , Sollux thinks, _Eridan Ampora, you fucking asshole, I'm going to tell him you said that_. Suddenly, Eridan snatches the cigarette from the Gemini and drops it down the ground before he can protest. Just for good measure, he crushes it under his heel until it's nothing but a scuff on the sidewalk. It's enough to make Sollux snort with laughter, wheeze, and snicker in quick succession as they turn the corner. The science museum is visible from here; a stupid, boring place that nobody ever seems to go to or ever mention in passing, it's just there. It just exists with no true purpose. Sollux can relate. 

They reach the front doors too soon and Eridan pushes them open easily, dropping it on Sollux with a snicker. _Well, that's real mature, Ampora_ , Sollux thinks, not sure why it makes him grin. He follows him inside and pauses suddenly, taken aback. The entire museum is nothing like he expected. Contrary to it being some lame place of dusty old books, he doesn't think he's ever seen a place so alive and full of things whizzing and whirling and bright and wonderful. He's awestruck for a moment and Eridan has to shake him by the shoulders to get him to snap out of it so that he can start dragging him to his favourite exhibits. 

As it turns out, nearly every exhibit is Eridan's favourite because the first two hours are frantic and rushed, moving from the next thing to the next thing to the next thing as if they're running out of time, as if the exhibits will vanish if they don't see them quick. Somehow, it's strangely endearing instead of annoying. There's a strange kind of childish delight on Eridan's face, something that Sollux doesn't think he's ever seen before. It's bright and excited and he keeps tugging on Sollux's arm, talking excitedly about science and history and magic but not magic because it's not real, of course. Before long, Sollux finds himself grinning and can't manage to stop. He listens to the endless chatter, enjoying the rise and fall of the Aquarius's voice. 

It's as they're heading to one of the million exhibits that something peculiar and not too pitch happens. In his excitement and carelessness, Eridan's hand slips down into Sollux's and grips him tightly there. His fingers slide between Sollux's, almost making him jump but he manages to control himself and just inhale sharply in surprise. Ampora's hand is cold and his rings are oddly shaped, rubbing against Sollux's skin, but his hand seems to fit into his perfectly. Eridan doesn't remove his hand but instead, grins sheepishly at him once he realises what he's done and continues to drag him. The sensation, the sweet, _red_ gesture, makes the Gemini flush a sunshine shade and look away to hide it. He makes sure to keep a firm grip on his date, rubbing at the back of his hand with his thumb. And he swears that Eridan's ear fins are flushed a light purple at the tips. 

When Sollux complains about being hungry- he has to really drive home the point that he hasn't eat all day before Eridan will agree to leave his precious science for ten minutes so that he can eat- they head to the museum café. There's an array of shitty coffee, much to Sollux's delight. _Shitty coffee, my absolute favourite_ , he thinks, _nothing better than lukewarm barely flavoured liquid_. He's fully prepared to treat his growling stomach with some cake or some chocolate chip cookies (he's positively drooling at the sight) but Eridan slaps his hand away before he can snatch any. 

"Don't you dare, Captor." It's the first time that he's been referred to as Captor today and it sends a strange chill down his spine, his stomach twisting into knots in the same way that it did earlier. Whether it's the scowl Eridan's wearing or the hunger, it's anyone's guess but he likes to think that it's the blackflirting. Reluctantly, he lets Eridan order him healthier food (he does sulk the whole time though, glaring at him out of the corner of his eye) and stalks off to find them a table. He finds one tucked away in the corner and takes a seat there, surveying the trolls and humans occupying the rest of the room with little interest. He really wishes he'd brought his husktop with him because he's beginning to reach what Aradia refers to as "social collapse". 

The social collapse is what happens after Sollux has spent more than a few hours outside of his hive and begins to grow exhausted. Not just physically exhausted but mentally so and he starts to wilt like a plant that got left out in the sun too long. Aradia and Karkat can both normally notice when Sollux is beginning to collapse and know to rescue him within a few minutes because all socialising is officially over. Unfortunately, Eridan does not recognise social collapse or the symptoms of it and just assumes that Sollux is being a grump and tells him so as he sits down. 

"Turn that frown upside down, moody." Eridan sets the tray of food down and takes his seat, leaning across the table to poke at Sollux's cheeks in turn, trying to stretch his mouth into a smile. Instead of obeying and smiling, Sollux snaps at him and manages to nip his finger before Eridan pulls back. He doesn't attempt to talk to him again and lunch is continued in silence as Sollux hates himself for ever agreeing to this, feeling his temples beginning to throb again. Only after he's finished sipping at his shitty coffee and set the cup down on the table, Sollux dares to look up at the seadweller across the table from him. Eridan is poking at the remnants of his lunch, looking miserable. 

Sollux really wishes he was anywhere else but here. 

But he decides to suck it up and draws in a long, steady breath. 

And he forces a smile. 

"Hey." That word alone earns the violetblood's attention and his gaze snaps up to meet Sollux's. For a second, he does the thing again, the thing where he seems to study Sollux to see what his reaction will be. Then, he speaks and the words are unsettling. 

"Is it over now?" 

"What? Fuck no." Sollux isn't sure what the hell the Aquarius is talking about, all he did was snap at him once and Eridan took a hell of a lot more insults when they pailed with ease and just smirked at him. He wondered why now was any different. And he quickly regrets his quick and ugly temper, hating his socially reclusive attitude, and reaches across the table. His hand comes to rest on top of Eridan's, stroking for a moment, before taking it to hold. A switch seems to flip and Eridan flushes purple, surprised at the sudden affection. 

"I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm sorry." Somehow, he thinks that his apology would sound more sincere if he hadn't mangled the "s" sounds- but Eridan doesn't seem to mind and accepts his apology, squeezing his hand tightly. It's not long before the pair of them rise from the table and head back to look round the rest of the museum and cover all the bits that Eridan had rushed through earlier. Hands locked tightly together, Eridan is so close to him that they keep bumping shoulders, and each time, the seadweller will look at him and they'll both grin at the contact. It's strange how awkward the pair of them are outside of the sheets, considering how incredibly intimate they are under them. 

There's an exhibit on psionics that Sollux finds fascinating, just because he didn't realise how fascinated other people and trolls seemed to be with it. He finds himself leaning against Eridan as he reads the information, feeling smug as it mentions his ancestor. However, it's not long before he's cornered by some troll that can't be much older than a sweep or two that seems to think that he's part of the exhibit. He's about to tell them to fuck off but Eridan elbows him hard in the ribs and stares hard at him, so he decides to play along. Before long, he's got a group of human kids and trolls alike watching him sparking red and blue and flipping things. It's nice to receive an appreciative round of applause from a gaggle of kids every time he sparks. Eridan is watching him with a strange look of pride, grinning when he spots Sollux glancing at him. As soon as he manages to wriggle free, he heads over to Eridan and jabs him in the chest. 

"You were meant to save me from that, not abandon me." It makes Eridan snicker and to his surprise, Sollux can't stay annoyed at him for long. And they continue on their way, not straying too far from each. However, it's not long before Sollux feels that same migraine he's been feeling poke at him mischievously all day, somewhere at the back of his mind. He prays that it'll stay back for a few more hours, just let him enjoy his date with Eridan and... Woah, did he just say he was enjoying this? No, no, no, this wasn't meant to happen. This was meant to be an awful date that he could laugh at later with Karkat, this was meant to be a joke. Yet, within a few hours of cute chattering and blackflirting and redflirting and criticism, Eridan had become much more appealing somehow. 

"You're awful quiet." Eridan pauses, turning to him and taking him by the hand to pull him in close; for a second, he seems to study Sollux again. Sollux finds himself beginning to enjoy the look of interest that shines in his date's eyes every time he does this, "Are you feeling okay? You've gone pale, Sol." 

"Yeah, I'm fine." Sollux shakes his head, trying to shift the growing pain behind his eyes with little result. It's getting a little sharper now, stinging more than aching, and that's how he knows it's a migraine and not a headache. Perhaps he shouldn't have been playing around with his psionics earlier- he's probably flexed something in his think-pan the wrong way and triggered a migraine. Goddamnit. He shrugs it off, smiles, and they continue on their way. He's determined to hold out for Eridan, not wanting to ruin anything. He just has to wait until he gets back to his hive and then, he can relax against on the couch for a few hours until he feels better. 

But it's not long before a sharp wave of pain hits him and he has to close his eyes shut tight and grip Eridan's arm tightly to steady himself. For a few moments, all he can hear is the blood pounding in his ears and he has to swallow hard to stop himself vomiting. His mouth tastes oddly metallic. He's vaguely aware of the seadweller speaking, a gentle but worried hum in his ears, but the words are blurring into strange sounds that he can't understand. Somehow, he manages a response, squeezing his eyes tightly closed and pressing his face against Eridan to shield his eyes from the brightness of the room. 

"I... I just need to sit down for five minutes." To say that it hurt would be an understatement because it burned behind his eyes and every time he blinked, he had to fight off tears. Sollux thinks he hears Eridan mutter something in response before he starts guiding him somewhere, supporting him with one arm and Sollux is cursing his mutant brain, maybe even aloud, because of all the days, why today? Any other day this week would have been fine but his stupid think-pan had to fuck him over on what had to be the happiest day in weeks. Next thing he knows, he's being sat down and instructed to breathe and Eridan's leaning over him with concern. He bats him away, pressing his hands to his temples. 

"Give me a minute." He murmurs, waiting for it to pass. Eventually, the harsh wave of pain subsides and gives way to the old steady throbbing feeling. It hurts but he can deal with the throbbing because it is consistent and therefore, easier to handle. It's a blunt pain, not a sharp one. He lets his hands fall back to his sides, exhaling heavily, before he's finally able to look around and discover where they are. They're in an ablutions block; he's been lifted up and sat on the counter with the sinks, his legs dangling over the side. And standing beside him, looking conflicted, is Eridan. 

"What the hell was that all about?" He splutters, as soon as he sees Sollux looking up at him, "I swear, I thought you were going to faint on me or hurl or something. You went such a pale colour! Jesus! Sol, you can't just fucking die on me, _matesprits aren't allowed to do that!!_ " 

There's a long moment of silence as those words echo through the room. 

"Sorry, I-"

"Shut up." Sollux leans in and grabs hold of his stupid scarf, so that he can kiss him furiously. He isn't gentle, he isn't kind, and when, he finally pulls back, Eridan looks flustered. He doesn't normally look so startled to be kissed but he seems to relax into the kiss after a moment, his tongue slipping into Sollux's mouth eagerly and they shift as the Aquarius leans into him properly. 

"Sol." 

"ED." 

"Flushed?"

"Quadrants are bullshit." 

"Tell me about it." And then, they kiss again, and it's slower this time because Eridan isn't caught off guard and putting more into it. He likes to take things at a different pace to Sollux, liking to take his time instead of rushing into it all at once. The Gemini is still gripping him tightly by the scarf and the material clenched tightly in his fingers is the only thing that feels real as Eridan's kisses explode like fireworks inside of him. They're slowly shifting more onto the counter, Eridan pinning him against it, and pressing his knee up into Sollux's crotch. 

"Sol?"

"Mhm?" 

"You're sparking." So he is, he realises as he pulls back, and it's not helping his migraine. Blue and red sparks are coming from him sporadically, tickling Eridan and making him smirk. Rolling his mismatched eyes, he pushes Eridan away and sighs in relief as the pressure on his bulge is removed. It's not fair for Eridan to pull that move so quick... And in a public bathroom where anybody could walk in too. It's enough to make Sollux swallow, pushing glasses higher up on his nose, and pray for his bulge to stay sheathed. He's his own worst enemy. 

"Control yourself, Sol." 

"I can't." He makes a pathetic noise as Eridan's lips brush his for the third time and those cold hands begin to wander, "It hurts." 

"I think you need a distraction." Eridan says, coyly, and Sollux feels his fingers slide into the belt loops of his pants and he's pulled in close suddenly. Again, they're pressed up close to each other and Sollux shudders at the feeling. His body is doing all it can to prepare him for pailing, traitorous thing. Sometimes, he really hates himself and this is one of those times. Because despite all he says, he's so fucking _easy_ to pail and he hates it. And as he's confronted with the faint smell of sea salt and overpriced cologne, he's surprised because the last time he was intimate with Eridan, he had just smelt of sweat and lust. _There again_ , he thinks as his lips meet another set, _the last time I kissed him, he just tasted like alcohol_. 

"We've got about ten minutes before they close up, you better finish quicker than you did the other night." Eridan seems to realise where this is going and before he can protest, Sollux is being yanked off the counter roughly. He's being gripped by the neck of his shirt, Eridan showing no concern as to whether he's choking or not, as he's dragged across the room towards the stalls. Oh, they are so fucked if somebody catches them. He didn't even think to bring a bucket on this stupid date; while he's impulsive, he does prefer to pail at home and won't go any further than groping in public. He can't believe Eridan is okay to pail here. 

"ED, are you asking me to pail with you in a bathroom stall?" 

"You gotta keep quiet this time. None of that loud moaning shit or we're gonna get copped out." Eridan pulls him backwards, indeed, into a bathroom stall and he locks it, before pulling Sollux in for another kiss. On the tips of his toes, Eridan can just reach and he's pressing Sollux against the stall door impatiently, as he kisses harder and faster. Again, his leg sneaks it's way in between Sollux's and he's ashamed to admit that he whimpered rather loudly in response. In return, the Gemini nips at him and lets his hand slip up his shirt, teasing at the other man's gills, and making him moan loudly. 

"Achievement unlocked: you're a fucking hypocrite." Sollux smirks, his fingers trailing over the strange gills still and toying at them a little. It makes Eridan shiver but despite his words, the Gemini is in a worse position and his mate- kism- _quadrantmate_ knows it. 

"Excited down there, Captor? You're going to start dripping through your pants if you don't get yourself controlled." Sollux rolls his eyes and after receiving the nod of approval from Eridan, snaps his mate's jeans open using his psionics. To his delight, he finds that Eridan's bulge is as unsheathed and eager as his own are and his nook is slippery already and Sollux doesn't hesitate to undo his own pants and moves things around to produce his twin bulges. Then, he realises: both of them want to top and after looking Eridan long and hard in the eyes for a moment, he knows he's going to have to fight for the position. 

"Fucking fight me, Ampora." He challenges. 

That's all the encouragement that Eridan needs to tackle him. So much for being quiet. 

It's only afterwards, slumped on Eridan's lap, that Sollux realises that this was a dumb mistake. His thighs are plastered with a mix of yellow and purple, his bulge and nook satisfied, but he feels exhausted. It takes him more than a few moments to get his breath back and by the time he's managed to, he remembers that the museum is closing soon, and that they need to start hauling ass. Lifting his head just enough, he looks at Eridan, who is still huffing and puffing helplessly and bright purple in the face. Normally, Sollux would insist on another round- two times the charm and all that- but they simply don't have time. They'll have to continue this back at his hive tonight. He realises with a soft snicker that he actually has a quadrantmate to take home. 

"ED, we need to get moving." He says, earning a long groan from the highblood. The Gemini scrambles for his underwear and pants, both of which were tossed aside at some point, and begins to tug them back on. He casts an eye over the mess before deciding that it's not too bad and most of it is covering his lower half rather than the floor. God, if only Eridan hadn't got the stupid idea into his head to use Sollux's nook as a bucket, then it wouldn't have dripped out all over him. They should have waited until they got back to the hive, that much was clear. That would be the practical option. Instead, they'd pailed in an ablutions block like a pair of idiots in heat and now, they had to suffer the consequences. 

_"Eridan."_ He says, pointedly. 

"Alright, alright, I'm coming." Eridan grumbles, reaching for his own garments and huffing when he realises that they've been lying on the floor on an ablutions block this whole time. It takes some gentle coaxing but after a while, they're both ready to go and only looking a little flustered. Together, they head out of the ablutions block and as disgusting as Sollux feels, he's glad that they did it. He loops his arm through Eridan's and pulls him in close, kissing and nipping at him lazily as they head for the exit. It's only when they're out on the street that Eridan returns the affection, turning Sollux to him and kissing him gently. A cold hand pushes through Sollux's hair and Eridan mumbles something that could have been a thanks. 

"What?" 

"Thanks... You know, for today." Eridan looks embarrassed to say it, "A lot of people would have stood me up today, you know that?" 

"I would have stood you up today if you hadn't been so annoyingly insistent." Sollux groans and he's smacked lightly on the arm as a punishment, "Jeez, I'm kidding. _Maybe_. And, why are you thanking me already? You're coming back to my hive, right?" 

".... I am?" 

"Your four wheel motor device is still parked outside." 

"You can call it a car, Sol, there's no need to talk like a peasant." Eridan scoffs at him and this time, Sollux is the one that's jabbing him in the ribs and making him scowl. He also pretends not to notice that Eridan's hands wander on him, going to hold him around the waist but sneaking down to grope at him instead. It's enough to make him smirk and trail his fingers over Eridan's gills in response, a weak spot. That makes the seadweller flush purple, his ear fins fluttering. 

"Hey, Eridan." Sollux leans in for a kiss and bites at his lower lip, then licking the violet blood off, "Since you're coming back to my hive anyway, how'd you like to stay the night?" 

"And when you say stay, what does that imply?" 

"Sheningans." Sollux waggles his eyebrows. 

"Pailing." Eridan corrects, "You really need me to pail you a second time, you needy little commoner?" 

"I'll take out again sometime if you do." 

"It's a deal."


End file.
